General

Since the first release of Ranger Prime roots pathways (and even before) there were several changes made in Ranger gameplay (as you call it). The official reason is always the ballance. I will tell you first how I rememver its development, how I see it and what is wrong by me. Then you tell me why we need changes, why these and what ballance is in it.

At the very beginning the idea was that pathways will remain free as it was with those on surface Ranger Aspirants / Apprentice Pathfinders can have. Rangers supposed to pay with HP and Stamina for new pathways to Prime Roots along with other disadvantages. There was a big discussion about the ballance and at the end it was changed and Rangers have to update their maps every 9 RL days for 25000 dappers and traveling was made faster.

But since the official release changes keep comming. First was that the map automatically opens the entrance again when you arrive to your destination. So in fact, you do the stop just to click the map again to continue to next spot.

Since "ever" all rangers understood that using pathways is not safe and we had to be prepared. Now the Elusive forest entrance was moved to safer place and I heard the Void spot will be moved for the same reason (no idea if it is true). But it looks even funnier when you realize that also safe zones were added to each pathway entrance so you are safe from aggro at your destination spot (which was the reason to change). Not talking about that it partially spoils searching for pathways because the safe zone is active even when pathway is not opened.

Next change was to radically reduce damage when using a pathway (with updated map). It was reduced that much that from my last 15-20 usages I got 175 HP damage. Once. In fact, it is mastery now to get any damage using pathways, not talking about none risk of death. And changes continue. It was announced that rangers will get respawn points on each pathway entrance and that those near capital cities will be moved closer (if I understood correctly).

To me it looks like this: I can pay puny 25000 dappers and I can travel as many times as I want and it costs me nothing more. Time to time some HP and Stamina, but that is really rare now. I am daily traveling to Prime Roots for "free" when other factions pay for each trip. I travel almost as fast as others and will be even more comfortable because entrances by capitals will be moved closer. There is no risk of death and no risk of aggro at the destination. All diadvantages, to ballance low cost of pathways and Ranger faction specifics, were or will be removed. And we (will) have almost all advantages others have compared to Rangers. If I was Kami or Karavan...

Except the one before the release I do not remember any official discussion about Ranger gameplay ballance.

- What was the reason for those changes, where did it come from?- Why you think this will bring more ballance and where will this end?- Is the ballance to make all factions the same in matter? Isn't it boring?

The reason for these changes is a majority demand from players who want to be able to play on an equal footing with others. If you want to impose yourself additional RP constraints...do it.

But that's not enough reason to impose punitive gameplay on other players.

the purpose of balancing is not to make all factions the same ... the goal is for everyone to have comparable advantages and disadvantages. The main purpose is that one faction is not advantaged compared to another. This is commonly known as a balance …

I don’t know if you're used to MMORPGs. But if a faction / class / nation etc. is too disadvantaged compared to another it is simply not played and end up being abandoned. When content is added to a game, the aim is to make it playable, don’t you think ?

Once again, if you want to impose additional constraints to your toon, nothing prevents you from doing so. But YOUR roleplay is not necessarily the one that others want to play ...

So, from my point of view, these changes were necessary and are very welcome. Many thanks to the Ryzom team for listening to the players (those who want to have fun) and for doing all the balancing work in record time.

I will answer this post, since I know the Rangers' pathways well, and use them all day long.

As for the payment of TPs :

1) I would remind here that the Rangers, given their fames, get only half of the dappers and faction points through their occupations (for the same number of products).

2) The resale of objects to merchants, also according to fames, is subject to the same punishment. Which means that for a very long time Rangers have paid twice as much for their TPs as Kamis and Karas...

3) Events such as the Labyrinth during Anlor Winn or eggs giving dappers are extremely profitable regarding dappers. Personally, I made a few hundred million pretty easily (didn't I Arionasis?). The dappers are used for nothing today but to pay one's TPs or OP battles... The loss of life and endurance were there to compensate for the Rangers not paying their TPs towards Prime Roots. Rangers could lose up to half their life when using a TP (from initial full life). Rangers could not TP towards Prime Roots if their life was too low (automatic DP in a vortex). So, either they used an aura, or a survival kit, or had to wait several minutes for their HP to increase in order to be able to teleport. That seems very expensive to me, compared to the cost of the dappers.

As for travel:

If you want to go to Prime Roots, you usually have to go through a capital, walk between 250 and 300 m, open the map, click, wait, click again... Phew, arrive on a transit point, reopen the map, click, wait, click again.... To maybe arrive (with loss of HP of course) on what can be an aggroing spot. So, other loss of HP, I spend an invulnerability, I evade aggro, I return to my vibration point because my journey is not over.... You follow me???? Because at that point, I already have fingers cramps and eyes that cross from constantly clicking on the right points.... I reopen the map, I reclick, I click again, and phew, I arrive .... And a pat crunches me....

Even if this example is a bit extravagant, it' s not an exaggeration, it's lived experience... In short, I spent several minutes to find myself either at a vortex in Prime Roots or near a capital having to start my journey again....

Of two things one:

- I say to myself that if I were to arrive at a vortex, I might as well take a TP DP, I would have saved time.- I decide to go angling, because repeating the journey I just made, I make nightmares of it...

In addition, I remind you that we cannot TP from anywhere, we are compelled to use relay points. This undeniably remains a huge disadvantage compared to other factions.

As for getting these Ranger's pathways and the prerequisites :

1) Have all fames at least 45 ;2) Fullfill the Pathways' mission in the 250 areas ;3) Pass the rite ;4) Look the pathways over with major loss of HP in each tunnel.

These prerequisites take several weeks for the players to get, and compel their guild elders to help them (the rite can only be done as a team, with a 150 jungle digger).

As a reminder, the other rites are passed in... 1/2 h ?

As for integration of multi-masters in guild :

It is very difficult for us to guild multi 250s from other factions, especially diggers and scouts. Why? Because our tunnels don't attract them...Then, you will say, one should not choose a faction for its TPs, it sucks, it is not RP;... Well, well, well! That's just super realistic in fact, and those in our guilds own large stocks of their old TP pacts, which they use in dribs and drabs.

So yes, I give a HUGE THANKS to the Ryzom team, who took the time to listen, to understand, and reacted to our daily constraints, who did a huge job, who was patient, and did everything possible to try to rebalance things.

As for you, Moniq, I'd tell you, if you want it to be long, complicated, difficult, you can always walk around naked in the Primes, you'll have fun. I can even show you some particularly aggroing spots if you want. But let people live, play, because it's a game, and 99.99% of people don't want to get worked up, just to move from one point to another....

And to answer your question directly, yes, the vast majority of the faction wanted these changes, and from the reactions, yes, the faction is delighted with them....And for kamis / karas / marauds, I would be happy to welcome them in my guild if some of them so desire...

the purpose of balancing is not to make all factions the same ... the goal is for everyone to have comparable advantages and disadvantages. The main purpose is that one faction is not advantaged compared to another. This is commonly known as a balance …

What moniq is saying, is that it totally remove disadvantage there (if i get it right), so what are you talking about? "comparable advantage and disadvantage" ?

@Revvy : I think I understood what Moniq said;), but I do not agree. For example, the Rangers' transport system is different from the others because of the faction's history. Ok, I agree with that. But it must remain usable.

This was not the case before balancing. It is more usable now, but does not bring any significant advantages over other factions. That’s not true, try it if you want and see what’s best ...

So, it's different, but it's not better than other systems. It is therefore comparable to other systems. The situation comes back to balance and that's the purpose of these changes. That’s what I meant.